fide et amor
by alittletasteofheaven
Summary: drabbles. Their world has crumbled over and over again, but each time they build it back up, together. — eremika. o11: the titans are defeated; the survivors see the ocean at long last, and this time, she appreciates the beauty of the world she had only seen in him.
1. of haircuts and temptation

**SNK (c) Isayama Hajime**

A/N: Hey guys! So, instead of throwing a bunch of pairings into one big collection, I decided to compile them into their own separate collections. This one is my mikaere/eremika one. It's just easier not only for me, but for the fans of this pairing as well- you can enjoy reading drabbles of your OTP without having to read any other pairing you might not like. win-win? hopefully lol. more info will be at the bottom.

* * *

"Mikasa, I asked you to cut it, quit brushing it!"

"But Eren, it's so nice and soft…"

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Just cut it."

"Not yet."

Eren nearly groaned, pressing his fingertips to his forehead in an attempt to keep his patience. His hair had grown much too long for his liking in the last few months, resulting in a hairstyle resembling his titan's hair. He tolerated it for a while—he just didn't have time to cut it—but now it was getting ridiculous. And even worse—Mikasa had taken a liking to it.

Though, he couldn't deny the thrill he felt when she tugged on it, mewling out his name in breathy gasps—

"You know," Mikasa murmured, interrupting his thoughts, "If I hadn't grown my hair out as well, we'd look like actual siblings."

He scrunched up his nose at the thought. "But we're _not._"

"Clearly," she hummed, snaking her fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp. She smiled in satisfaction when he leaned into her touch, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. She brought a lock up to her lips, kissing it softly. "I like your hair like this. Can't I just trim it?"

"It gets in the way, Mikasa. I can't have it distracting me."

She slid her hands down to his rough, broad shoulders, then down to his chest, splaying her fingers under his shirt. She leaned in close to his ear, grinning when she felt him shiver. "But, I think it's… _sexy." _she purred, licking the shell of his ear.

"Mikasa…" he groaned, turning his head to capture her lips, but she denied him and leaned back. She almost giggled at the low, frustrated growl that rumbled in his throat at her teasing.

"Keep it for me? Please?" she asked persistently, tugging lightly on his hair. Eren sighed and turned around, reaching up to run his hands through her inky strands.

"Maybe one more week wouldn't hurt," he relented, watching as Mikasa's face lit up in triumph. He slowly pushed her down on the bed, smirking at the hungry look that flashed in her eyes.

"But, I think I'll take my revenge for your teasing now…" he whispered huskily, his hands roaming, slipping under her shirt.

"Ah—Eren!" she gasped before he crushed his lips to hers, interrupting her with a bruising kiss.

* * *

A/N(2): This was inspired by a fanart I saw on tumblr, I can't link it here but if you search through the 'snk' tag on my tumblr, mugiwara-time, you'll find it eventually, lol.

I wanted to turn this into smut but decided to keep this PG- well, sort of lol.

So, like I was saying before, this is _only mikaere_. I will be posting a separate rivetra collection and _maybe_ an aruani one, but I'm not sure. But I have stories written for both, so if you like those pairings, please check em out when they're up!

Next drabble will probably feature episode 25's mikaere moment bc I WAS READY TO COMBUST OH. MY. GOD. It was like all my dreams come true ;u; and if you guys have any prompts you'd like to send me, please do so! I love getting prompted :)


	2. of revelations and answers

**Disclaimer**: If owned SNK, I would've SO made these two kiss in the last chapter.

**A/N: **So sorry for lack of updates guys, life's been... busy to say the least, lol. But some things are out of the way now so hopefully I'll be able to write some more!

This is my _super delayed _fantastical continuation of chapter fifty BECAUSE I WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE FROM THE EREMIKA. IT'S SO CLOSE TO CANON, GUYS. WE'RE ALMOST THERE!

* * *

The next time Mikasa woke, the sky had faded to black, leaving thousands of twinkling stars and the ever-changing moon illuminating Wall Rose. She blinked once, twice before realizing she was still holding onto Eren's back, the shadow of the wall looming over them as they approached the gate. She was faintly aware of the dull pain throbbing in her abdomen, but she couldn't bring herself to care, preferring to indulge herself in Eren's warmth as she nestled closer to him.

She felt his muscles jolt suddenly at her small movement. "Mikasa?" he called quietly, turning his head slightly to look back at her.

"Ere-"

"Rest, Mikasa. We can talk later."

She conceded with a sigh, the steady trot of their horse lulling her back to sleep.

* * *

She woke up in the infirmary.

She felt oddly stiff when she tried to sit up and looked down—she was covered in bandages from the waist up. Her eyes widened in mild surprise; She didn't think she was hurt that badly, just a few sprained ribs at the most. She grimaced in discomfort at the bandages wrapped around her throat—these were particularly unnecessary in her opinion—and reached up to unravel them when a hand stopped her.

"Don't, Mikasa."

She whipped her head to the side and found Eren sitting in chair beside her, a warning look in his deep, green eyes. How did she not even notice him?

"Eren?" she rasped, frowning at the gritty sound of her voice. She coughed lightly before asking, "What are you doing here?"

He frowned and reached over for the glass of water sitting on her bedside table, holding it out for her and nodding when she mumbled a small 'thank you', "Waiting for you to wake up."

She raised a brow as she gulped down the water greedily, trying to ignore the overjoyed flutter in her chest at his words. "Why?" she asked, her voice clearer this time. He sighed and scooted his chair closer to her bed, his intense gaze locking with hers.

"We need to talk."

Mikasa tried to push down the blush threatening to rise on her cheeks as she realized what he meant.

"_That's not true, Eren."_

"_Eren, I need to tell you something."_

"_Thank you… for wrapping me with this scarf."_

"Oh," she murmured, averting her eyes elsewhere, "We don't have to. We can just keep going like we always ha—"

"No, Mikasa," he interrupted, his voice a bit harsh, "We're going to talk about this."

She bit her lip and didn't answer, her hands fisting the sheets tightly. She heard him sigh in frustration, jumping slightly when she felt his fingers gently tug her chin towards him. "Look at me," he commanded softly and she obliged, because he is Eren and she is Mikasa and _when has she ever been able to deny him?_

"Why did you give up?" he asked quietly.

The hand of the eerie, disgusting smiling titan reaching for the two of them flashed in her mind, its mouth and chest stained with Hannes's blood. She hesitated for a moment. "Because I thought that was it."

"Why?"

"Because we just saw Hannes-san get eaten right in front of us, plenty of others were getting eaten left and right, I was injured and you had no 3DMG—what else was I supposed to think, Eren?"

He remained silent for a while, the only sound in the room coming from the distant singing of the crickets outside. His stare was still locked onto hers though, neither daring to look away; neither really wanted to.

"If you don't fight, you can't win," he muttered, breaking the silence, "I told you that, didn't I?"

She gasped lightly as realization slowly dawned on her: She had given up on him again. She vowed to herself she'd never give up again, yet she had nearly accepted death just a few hours prior, just as she did all those months ago.

_If I die, I won't be about to remember you, Eren…so no matter what it takes, I'll fight!_

She looked down in utter shame, unable to stop the tears from running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Eren…"

He stood, the chair creaking against the wooden floor as he moved to sit next to her on the bed, leaning in to touch his foreheads with hers. "Don't do it again," he rasped, his voice strained with swallowed tears, "Don't _ever_ pull that shit again."

She nodded, her heart fluttering wildly as she felt his breath on her lips. "I promise."

She reached for his hand and squeezed, a tingle of excitement shooting through her nerves when he moved to intertwine their fingers. Her eyes snap back up to his, widening when she sees they are half-lidded, an undeniable flash of longing lingering in his green irises as he moved closer.

"Eren," Mikasa whispered hurriedly, her courage escaping her as she put a hand on his chest, "Wait—I need to know something."

He stopped, his eyes flicking down to her lips momentarily, "What?"

She took a deep breath to collect herself, "Did—Did you mean what you said?"

He leaned back and reached into his pocket, taking out her scarf and wrapped it around her neck softly, gently, and Mikasa felt her breath leave her in a rush as his calloused hand brushed against her cheek. She cannot help the smile that spreads on her lips because after all they've been through, he is still her Eren—the hot-headed boy who always had a soft spot for her, who would always drag her around with him because he couldn't _stand_ leaving her alone.

"_In the future, I'll wrap it around you as many times as you want."_

"Does that answer your question?" he asked quietly, a small smile of his own appearing on his lips.

She cupped his face in her hands, bringing him a breath away from her lips and whispered a soft, "Yes," before sliding her lips over his.

* * *

**A/N: **I just want my babies to be happy... is that too much to ask for?

It's also recently come to my attention that there's a serious lack of smut in the eremika tag/archive/whatever sooooooooooo I _might _try a smut piece next? Would you guys want that? haha... please don't make me feel like a pervert.

I've also received a prompt from someone (sorry I can't remember your name if you're reading this!) and I will work on that soon too! If anyone else has any ideas I'm open to anything!


	3. of showers and desire

**Disclaimer: **SNK clearly isn't mine bc if it was, these two would've done the do a loooong time ago.

**A/N: **Ahem...well, I did it. I wrote smut for you guys and I actually liked writing this lol... don't look at me

* * *

"Eren, wake up."

He merely grunted and turned his back to his intruder, fully intent on taking advantage of his day off and sleeping in. Soldiers only got days off once in a blue moon, so whenever the opportunity presented itself, everyone would take advantage of it and catch up on sleep, relaxing, or whatever else they wished to do.

Though, it seemed someone just keen on preventing him of that luxury.

He heard a sigh over his shoulder and smiled in triumph when he felt a weight lift itself off his bed. He was slowly drifting back into unconsciousness when he suddenly felt his nose being plugged, thoroughly alarming him as his eyes shot open, his body quickly scrambling into a sitting position. He was gasping for air, scowling when he saw Mikasa hide her smile behind her hand, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Not funny," he growled and ran his hand through his messy hair, "What gives, Mikasa?"

"Well, you weren't listening to me."

"It's our day off! Why are you waking me up so early?"

"Because," she began, slipping off her shirt and smirking at his widening eyes, "I don't want to waste the day away sleeping, and you shouldn't either." She tossed her shirt on his bed and turned around, walking towards his bathroom.

Eren gulped, his eyes following the sway of her hips and the sweet curve of her waist. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a shower. Want to join?" she asked, a teasing smile on her lips as she disappeared into the room.

Oh, she was such a tease.

Eren stood and marched into the bathroom, closing the door as he heard Mikasa turn on the water. He walked up behind her and undid the clasp of her bra, smirking in satisfaction as she gasped and turned around, her hands covering her chest instinctively. He picked her up and sat her on the counter, his hands roaming as his lips attacked her neck, nipping and biting his way down her throat. She turned her head to kiss him but he denied her, choosing to lick her ear instead as he rubbed her hipbones, squeezing every so often.

"Oh, you want to tease me?" Mikasa nearly snarled, her hands roughly yanking his shirt off, her nails scratching his skin as she did so, "I can play that game too, _Eren._"

She whispered his name huskily and pulled on his hair, sending a thrilling shiver down his spine. She trailed her fingers down his chest as she nipped at his neck, her feather light touch making his muscles twitch under her hands. She continued down until she reached the waistband of his pants, dipping her hand a scant inch under and pulled, tugging him closer to her. He hissed when her other hand lightly rubbed his arousal through his pants, groaning loudly when she grabbed him tightly.

"Mikasa…" he rasped into her shoulder as he bucked his hips against her hand, aching for more of her delicious touch. She retracted her hand and Eren almost whined at the loss of contact, sucking in a breath when she hopped off the counter and shrugged off her bra, her chest now completely exposed. He made a move to touch her but she slapped his hand away, a playful smile on her sinful lips.

"No touching," she chided, her smile widening at the low growl of frustration that rumbled in his throat. She flicked open the button of her pants and slid them down slowly, tantalizingly—Eren licked his lips as his mind clouded with desire, his arousal now painfully hard. She tossed her pants to the side and slipped a finger under the band of her panties, pulling and letting it snap back into place against her creamy skin.

"I'll leave this for you," she whispered into his ear before retreating into the shower. Eren hurriedly stripped himself of his pants and boxers, stepping into the shower behind her and grabbed her around the waist, crushing her to him.

Mikasa almost squeaked when she felt him pressing hard against her, his hands running over her abs while he sucked on her neck. His hands slid lower and lower, slipping into her now soaked underwear and Mikasa felt her knees go weak from the delicious sensation. She reached behind her and grabbed the back of his neck, turning her head and brought his lips to hers. He bit down on her lower lip, eliciting a small gasp from her and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue rubbed against hers, the kiss growing rougher as he got more aroused and it absolutely _thrilled _her.

She took his hand and tried to guide him inside her, but he quickly withdrew his hand in favor of grabbing her breasts, squeezing and massaging as she melted against him.

"_Eren,_" she breathed, her impatience quickly rising, "_please."_

"How's your own medicine taste, _Mikasa?_" Eren purred in her ear, "Can't take what you give out?"

"You—_Oh!"_ she gasped as his fingers tweaked her nipple, his teeth scraping against the shell of her ear.

She could feel him smirking against her skin. "I'm winning the battle this time around."

_Wait… battle?_

Mikasa gasped loudly, this time in realization, not pleasure. "Oh my god! I need to leave!"

Eren stopped his ministrations, frowning in confusion. "Why?"

She quickly whirled around, her panicked eyes meeting his puzzled ones. "I forgot—I have training with Captain Levi this morning!"

His frown deepened further. "On your day off?"

"There's no days off with him," she said hurriedly, trying to ignore the ache between her legs, "I'm going to be late—"

She was interrupted by the push of Eren's lips, rough and persistent as he pinned her against the wall, grinding his hips against hers. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head at the sensation, small moans escaping her swollen lips.

She dug her hands into his wet hair as he attacked her neck once again, her mind quickly melting into mush. "Wait, Eren—_ah—_I really need to go—"

He tugged down her soaked underwear in one swift motion, ignoring her weak protests. He brought a hand up and tucked her dripping hair behind her ear, a mischievous smile spreading onto his lips. "It can wait."

She yelped in surprise as he hiked her up against the wall, their swollen lips meeting in a softer, passionate kiss. She sighed into his mouth and conceded, wrapping her legs around his waist as he massaged her thighs. He pulled away, pecking her lips one more time before resting his forehead against hers, his gaze soft but intense.

"Ready?"

She nodded and he entered her in one swift thrust, leaving them both crying out in pleasure.

* * *

Mikasa staggered back to her bedroom, her entire body coated in sweat and dirt from her training session. Levi had not been lenient with her, especially when she showed up nearly an hour late. Her muscles screamed in agony as she shuffled along the hallway, her hand guiding her along the wall in an effort to keep her balance.

When she finally reached her door, she quickly opened it and dragged herself inside, not even bothering to shut it and flopped down on her bed. She was so exhausted she didn't even notice Eren watching her from the desk, and to be honest, she didn't really care. He _was_ the reason she was put through hell today, after all.

"You okay?" she heard him ask as she felt a dip in the mattress beside her. She turned her head to glare at him.

"I'm _fantastic_," she spat, her tone dripping with so much sarcasm it was almost palpable.

He raised his hands up in defense. "I was just asking."

Her eye twitched in annoyance. "_Just asking?_" she hissed, straining to prop herself up on her forearm, "You _know _you're the reason why I'm a sweaty mess right now!"

He blinked at her, completely unfazed. Mikasa felt something snap in her mind. "Well," he began, a smirk slowly spreading on his lips, "Let me redeem myself. I'll help you wash up."

"Wha—hey!" she squeaked as he lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the bathroom once again.

* * *

**A/N: **got the idea for this off that "imagine your otp" tumblr. They have some really awesome NSFW prompts sooo... anyone who's up to writing smut should check it out. ;) Lol nah but really they have other prompts too, like fluff and domestic and all that great stuff. So if you ever get stuck on ideas, I suggest checking it out immediately!

Next drabble I'll fill the prompt "melon" someone gave me. Dunno how I'll use it but we'll see!


	4. of melons and summertime

**SNK**** (c) Isayama Hajime**

**A/N: **This one's a little short, sorry about that. Thanks to kittenxxkisses for the prompt!

* * *

Melons have always been her favorite food.

Picking them became something like a summer tradition for her family. Her parents would travel to the nearest town with her in tow and spend the entire day browsing through the markets, taking in the sweet smells of ripe fruit and picking out the ones that looked the best. Mikasa would spend countless hot, summer days sitting outside with her mother, basking in the warm sunlight as she munched on the treat, the sweet juice trickling down her chin. Everything about it—the taste, the smell—reminded her of home.

Of all things, that was probably what she missed the most.

Now, food was scarce. Things were different in Shiganshina—there were more people, more families, more mouths to feed. The town was always bustling with people; a stark contrast to the simple, isolated life she led on the farmlands of Wall Maria. The only food available was bread and a few vegetables, nothing else. Treats like fruit and candy—well, those were only for the wealthy.

So, when Eren ran up to her one day and presented the fruit to her, she was a little more than surprised.

"Eren?" she questioned, staring at the fruit in his hands in wonder, "Why do you have that?"

"Well," he began with a small smile, "You like these, right?"

"Yeah, but… how do you know that?"

"I heard you talking about it with my mom."

"Oh," she murmured, a small smile of her own blossoming on her lips, "But how did you even get it? They're expensive."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, don't tell my parents, but I kind of stole it."

Her jaw nearly dropped. "Eren!"

He raised his hand defensively. "What? It's not like anyone was eating it! It was just sitting in someone's backyard, rotting away!"

"Still," she mumbled, taking the fruit from him, "You didn't have to do that."

He frowned in confusion. "Why? I did it for you! If anything, you should be thanking me," he concluded, crossing his arms with a smug smile on his face.

She smacked his arm playfully, ignoring the small 'ow' he yelped in response. "Stupid," she said softly, hiding her rising blush in her scarf, "But thank you."

He grinned at her and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go back home and eat it!"

At the mention of the word home, her mind took her back to those lazy summer afternoons from what seemed like a different lifetime—but she also thought of the red scarf wrapped around her neck and the hand of the boy pulling her through the bustling streets, his touch warm and insistent, much like it was all those nights ago.

"Yes," she whispered, "Let's go home."

* * *

**A/N: **so sorry for the short length... I'll prob be posting another one later tonight or tommorow though. :) A huge wave of idea inspiration hit me yesterday and I'm PUMPED

p.s.- a third part to **enlighten me** is in the works, but I'm still drafting it. Prob won't be up until after halloween bc life gets in the way sometimes. sigh..


	5. of scars and healing

**disclaimer: **I clearly don't own anything.

**A/N: **inspired this piece off a fanart I saw on tumblr by pandanoi, featuring older!Eren, older!Armin, and older!Jean. They look amazing, but the one thing that stood out the most was Eren's hands... if you look for the art you'll see what I mean.

Also, this is post-canon; Eren and Mikasa are around 19 here.

* * *

When she enters his room that night, he is sitting on the end of his bed, dejectedly staring at his bandaged hands in silence. She sighs and closes the door, walking up to him and looking down at him expectantly.

He doesn't raise his head—he already knows it is her, almost instinctually. "Hey, Mikasa," he greets her quietly.

She kneels in front of him and gingerly takes one hand in hers. "Something wrong, Eren?"

He doesn't answer her, continuing to stare at the bandages, but his eyes flick up to meet hers momentarily and they tell her everything. She bites her lip and runs her thumb over the back of his hand, feeling the raised skin through his bandages and he pulls his hand back a bit. She knows then he is fretting over the scars on his hands that, for some reason, have never healed, despite the advanced healing his titan powers have granted him. So much has changed about him over the years—he has grown taller, defined his muscles, broadened his shoulders, grown into his squared jaw—yet his scars are the one thing that have endured, eternally ingrained into his skin.

She starts to unwrap them and he viciously pulls back his hand, a warning look in his deep, green eyes.

"Please," she whispers, leaning up to kiss him softly and he relents, allowing her to take his hands again and unwrap them completely. He looks away, not even daring to look at his scars, but Mikasa looks directly at them, her eyes drinking in every detail and storing them in her memory.

"They're disgusting," he mutters, and he is right—they are ugly, horribly grotesque crescent-shaped trenches overlapping his hands and wrists, even some parts of his arm. She runs her fingers along the ridges, leaning down slightly to skate her lips across his marred skin, as if her soft and gentle lips could somehow erase them. She looks back up at him and finds that he is staring back at her, his brow raised in questioning, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"I like them," she murmurs, and she does. She thinks that, despite their horrid appearance, they are beautiful. They are the marks that show not only his struggle for control, but also his resilience and Mikasa finds them nothing short of admirable.

She tells him this and he merely frowns, but she can see his appreciation in his eyes. "Easy for you to say," he mumbles, absentmindedly wringing his hands together.

"I have them too, you know," she says as she stands, shrugging off her jacket and lifts her tank top, displaying her worst scar that she earned on her fifth expedition. It is huge and just as horrid as his, its jagged edges snaking its way across her lower stomach and down to her hips. She watches him suck in a breath, a pained expression on his face as he reaches out to trace it, her body shivering at his tender touch.

She lets her top fall back into place and stretches out her arms, showing the ragged red ribbons winding around her pale skin, ghastly and unforgiving. "I have plenty here, plenty on my legs. You've seen them before. We all have them, Eren."

He reaches up and runs his thumb across the space under her right eye, and she feels her breath leave her in a rush—she had nearly forgotten about the scar Eren himself had given her.

"Eren," she begins, "it's nothi—"

"Sorry," he says quietly, his voice strained as he pulls her onto his lap, her legs straddling either side of him and she lets out a small gasp when she feels him place a soft kiss on her scar. He wraps his arms around her and crushes her to him, burying his face into her neck.

"Ere—" she begins to say, but she is interrupted by the feeling of something dripping onto her bare shoulder—he is crying, she realizes. She opens her mouth to soothe him but decides against it, wrapping her arms around his neck and allows him to cry.

"I'm so fucking sorry, Mikasa," he chokes out, and Mikasa feels the back of her eyes sting at the raw anguish she hears in his voice. "I—I almost fucking killed you."

She pulls away from him to look him in the eye, her heart twisting at the pure, unadulterated _shame _she sees in his green irises. "I thought we put that behind us, Eren." She wipes away his tears with her thumb, "_It's okay."_

"But it'll never hea—"

"No," she says more sternly, "Stop. You're better than that now, so stop dwelling on it."

He lets out a heavy sigh and reaches up, lacing his fingers through hers. "Mikasa," he breathes, kissing her knuckles before moving up to her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks, and finally, her lips—she can taste the salt that has dripped onto his lips from his eyes, but she also hears the silent _I love you _that falls not from his lips but his actions.

Their kiss isn't perfect, but neither are they—they are bittersweet, tattered remains of the people they once were, but they are still anchored to each other, unwilling to let the other ago. And, in more ways than one, they are the incarnation of the scars that ravage their bodies—they are broken and damaged, much like their skin, yet they still persist, rising from the destruction again and again, their resolve powerful and everlasting.

As her hands run over his, Mikasa thinks that yes, Eren is right—some scars never heal.

But she'll try anyway.

* * *

**A/N: **before anyone yells at me, _yes I know Eren always heals nicely, _but I figured after biting them so much over the years, the healing effect in his hands just kind of... wore off. I guess even for a titan shifter, too much trauma to the skin can result in some pretty nasty scars, or so I believe.

also little fun fact: kept listening to _Adore You _by Miley Cyrus while writing this and I think it sets the mood perfectly! (don't make fun of me- her album is actually pretty good, at least I think it is)


	6. of meetings and destiny

**Disclaimer: **don't own anything

**A/N: **Wrote this a few months ago on my tumblr. I've been so busy and I feel really bad that I haven't updated as much as I'd like to, so here's something for you guys!

The prompt for this was: AU where Eren and Mikasa live thousands of miles away from each other, not knowing each other yet and in a twist of fate, meet and think they are each others soul mates.

OH and there are very brief mentions of aruani and springles.

* * *

"Don't let her get to you, Armin."

"It's hard though. She was so special to me."

Eren sighed and threaded his hands behind his head, looking up at the tiny snowflakes drifting through the cold winter air. "Listen, Annie just didn't deserve you. There's gonna be someone else in this huge world that'll be lucky to meet you. Who knows, maybe they're right here in New York."

Armin buried his face in his scarf, his eyes downcast. "You think?"

"Definitely. There's someone out there for all of us. We just haven't met them yet."

Armin glanced sideways at him. "Then, who do you think is your soul mate?"

Eren nearly scoffed. "Soul mate? That's so mushy."

"But, that's what you're describing, isn't it?"

Eren shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away, a childish pout on his face. "Whatever. I don't know who mine will be, but when I meet her, I think I'll just know."

Armin lifted his hand to hide his teasing smile. "Like love at first sight?"

Eren sputtered and ducked his embarrassed flush into his jacket collar. "S-Shut up!"

* * *

"Hey, Mikasa! Nice waves today, don't you think?"

Mikasa brushed her wet hair out her face, watching as Sasha ran up to her, surfboard in hand.

"Yeah, I guess." she coolly replied, grabbing her towel to dry herself off.

"So, what tricks do you think I should try today? I'm hoping he'll be watching," Sasha said excitedly, jabbing her thumb in Connie's direction.

Mikasa shrugged and pulled on her shirt over her bikini. "I don't know. Whatever you feel like."

"But you're the best surfer in California! Everyone says so! Can't you give your best friend some tips?"

"All I can say is do whatever you think feels right. That's what I do," Mikasa said, pulling her bag over her shoulder and lifting her board in her hand.

"Jeez, you're no help." Sasha pouted.

"Why are you so fixated on impressing that guy anyway?"

Sasha's pout melted into a blindingly bright grin, almost rivaling the huge afternoon sun itself. "Because he's just so nice to me and he _gets_ me, you know? It's almost like we were destined to meet," she gushed.

"Destined?"

"Yeah, like soul mates or something!"

"Oh. Well, good luck," Mikasa said as she walked towards the boardwalk, waving over her shoulder.

She'd never thought of someone as being her 'soul mate', never even considered it. She didn't think she had time in her life for love or relationships, so she never gave the subject any thought. But, she wondered, what if there was someone out there she was destined to meet? Were they thinking about her too?

* * *

It was eleven at night when Mikasa heard a knock on her door. Frowning, she stopped typing up her essay and rose from the kitchen table, walking over to answer it. Who would come by so late at night?

She opened the door and was met with the most vivid green eyes she'd ever seen in her life.

A boy no older than her was standing in front of her, with dark brown hair and lightly tanned skin. She watched as he tried to smile, but it was clear he didn't smile much, because he ended up with a half-smirk on his handsome face.

She flushed lightly when she realized she was staring at him and cleared her throat. "Do you need something?"

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "Uh, I just noticed this was on the floor in the hallway, so I'm going around trying to find its owner," he said, lifting up a red scarf in front of her, "so is this yours?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't own any scarves."

He sighed heavily. "Well, you're the last one on this floor…" he trailed off, frowning in thought.

"You can leave it in the first floor's lost and found. Someone might come to claim it."

His face suddenly brightened as he thought of an idea. "You said you don't have any scarves, right?"

She frowned a bit and tilted her head in confusion. "No, I don't need them. We're in California."

"Yeah, but it's always good to have one. Here," he said, holding out the red material to her.

She pushed it away lightly, jumping a bit when their fingers touched, a jolt of electricity running through her nerves. "No, it's fine."

"Don't be so stubborn," he muttered, suddenly draping the scarf around her neck. Mikasa stared at him in surprise, almost gaping when she saw a light blush rise on his cheeks.

"It looks good on you." he mumbled, averting his eyes elsewhere.

"Thank you," she murmured, pulling the fabric down to properly rest on her neck.

She heard him audibly swallow before he stuck his hand out to her. "I'm Eren. I'm new here."

She took his hand in hers and shook it firmly, feeling the same spark at his touch as before. "Mikasa."

Eren lifted a brow. "Mikasa? I've never heard a name like that."

"I get that a lot."

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anyone that looks like you either…" he mumbled, scratching his chin in thought. She sighed.

"I get that a lot too."

"It's not a bad thing," he amended quickly, "I actually really like—um, I—I really like your face."

She stared at him in quiet surprise before her mouth twitched upwards into a smile, and small giggles suddenly erupted from her mouth. She hadn't laughed in so long.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked after she calmed down, eyeing his standing form outside her door.

He held a hand up and shook his head. "No, it's kind of late—I have to finish unpacking down the hall."

She sidestepped him and closed her door. "Let me help you then."

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"No, I want to."

Eren relented with a sigh, a small smile forming on his lips. "You're really stubborn, Mikasa."

"I have a feeling you are too," she countered, falling into step beside him as they started walking. She didn't know why, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that this meeting with Eren was meant to happen—almost like it was destined.

She had a inkling that Eren thought the same.

* * *

**A/N: **just want to thank everyone that's been reviewing/faving/following this, I really really love you guys and you have no idea how much your reviews brighten up my day. I don't have time to respond to them but I do read every single one, so here's a huge THANK YOU for everyone's kind words!


	7. to keep a promise

**disclaimer: **nope not mine

**A/N: **happy eremika week everyone! this is my entry for day one: scarf. kinda tough to write considering i've pretty much exhausted all scarf stories for eremika haha, but I tried.

* * *

Eren Jaeger could do many things—crush titans, easily immobilize an opponent in quick grapples, even turn into a titan himself—but he couldn't wrap a scarf.

Mikasa knew this from the very first time they met, when he practically threw the red material haphazardly around her face, not her neck. He'd try to wrap it for her in the days following, when he'd catch her quietly shivering next to him in bed on chilly mornings and quiet evenings. But each time, he'd wrap it so messily that he almost choked her three times— _three times!—_ until she'd finally had enough, gently pushing his fumbling hands away and insisting she could do it herself.

He would huff and look away with a childish pout, mumbling some obscenities under his breath with the occasional glance at her. She didn't mind; she found it cute.

But even now, six years later, this did not change.

"I'll wrap it around you as many times as you want," he declared to her, his eyes teary but determined as he looked down at her, her own pools of liquid ink staring back with amazement, a secret moment of bliss thumping in her chest.

But now, as he tried—and _failed_—to wrap it around her again, she started to the curse those bold words.

"Eren, I told you, you can't do it like that—"

"Mikasa, I know how to do this, so quit it!"

She rolled her eyes as his calloused fingers continued to fumble around the red material, his eyes focused but frustrated as he tried to make a proper knot. He tried everything but the actual _correct_ way and it was driving her mad.

She suddenly felt a harsh, tight tug on her throat and immediately gagged, her hands quickly moving up to push his away. "Eren, stop!"

Hurt flashed in his deep, green eyes before anger settled in his features. "What the hell's your problem? I'm just trying to help!"

"I know, and I appreciate it, I really do," she amended, pulling the scarf loose around her neck with relief, "but you're not really helping me at all if you can't do it right."

He crossed his arms and looked away, and for a moment, they were back in their Shiganshina home—two young kids trying to mend the broken pieces of her soul together, his small, clumsy fingers tugging and pulling at the long material around her neck as she hid a smile underneath.

"You can just do it yourself then," Eren mumbled, his grumpy voice jolting her back to the present.

She fingered the tattered ends of red, her voice quiet as she questioned, "You're not doing this because you feel like you owe me something, are you?"

His eyes snapped to hers, his brow raised in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Your promise," she clarified, "I don't want you to think you owe me this just because I protected you."

"That's what you're worried about?" he asked incredulously, sighing when she nodded.

"Mikasa, I—" he paused, running a hand through his messy hair, "I'm not doing this out of some stupid obligation for saving my life. I think we got pretty even when I protected you from those titans. I'm doing this because I—I just—I really—" he sighed in frustration, struggling to put his feelings into words, "Fuck, Mikasa, I—I just want to make you happy."

Heat rushed to her cheeks as her heart pounded wildly at his confession. "Really?"

She watched a light pink dust across his cheeks as he rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Yeah."

She shuffled closer to him on the bed, cautiously leaning in towards him, her hand lightly tugging on the hem of his shirt. She stopped just inches from his lips, whispering, "You make me the happiest, Eren."

She looked down and watched a smile spread across his lips. "I'm glad," he murmured before meeting her halfway, pressing his lips against hers.

It isn't perfect— it's awkward and hesitant at first, their inexperienced lips mashing together clumsily. But when they go back for their second, third kiss— they form a comfortable rhythm, his hand sneaking around her waist as hers cradle his face. Mikasa's mind becomes foggy, wisps of haze escaping her lips each time they separate and come together again—and it when it ends, they're both gasping for air, cheek-flushed and swollen-lipped as they take the other in.

"You're still terrible at wrapping scarves," she whispered cheekily, the white of her teeth biting down a teasing smile.

"_Shut up, _Mikasa," he groaned, tugging on her scarf to bring her in for another kiss.

* * *

**A/N: **cheesy cheesy cheesy!

Anyways, this entire week I'll be updating every day until friday! Or well, I'll try, haha. when I did grayza week I kinda skipped a day here and there... but this time I'll try to be diligent!

I'm super excited for tommorow's prompt: fight, get ready! :)


	8. bob and weave

**disclaimer: **do i really have to even say that i don't own anything by now

**A/N: **day two of eremika week! prompt was fight, so I used the mikasa v. annie fight as the basis for this one.

* * *

"_Hey, Annie, why don't you teach those moves to me as well?"_

"_Well, I don't know about that… these moves are intended for humans to use, you see, I don't think someone like you needs them at all. _

_But… I'm curious to see if they even work on a beast."_

And now, they are nothing but a blur of black and blonde, an occasional splash of red surfacing from the cracks of their bodies. A crowd gathers to watch the brawl, but Eren finds his eyes drawn only to Mikasa, her body bobbing and weaving and her fists swinging in graceful arcs, almost as if she is dancing—an old routine that is like second-skin, her muscles and bones moving in natural sync. He watches in fascination as she blocks Annie's powerhouse kicks with analyzed precision, her cheeks flushed and swollen with purple-stained bruises and her inky strands matted to her forehead, and Eren thinks she's never looked so beautiful.

He's knee-deep in her entrancing spell, and his ears barely register Reiner's question of, "Which one would you pick, Eren?"

His mind immediately jumps to Mikasa, but he hesitates; Annie's no pushover, and he knows this all too well, often being at the receiving end of her mercy more than he'd like to admit. He's torn, stuck between his friend and his mentor, and he can only manage to answer with a question of his own.

"Really… which one?"

And in the next few minutes, it is over: Mikasa has Annie in a nasty headlock, pushing her face-first into the ground, growling, "Give up, Annie."

Eren can't help but feel the slightest bit turned on by the gritty tremble of her voice, his eyes glazing over as he watches Mikasa lean down closer, her stormy eyes glowering threateningly into Annie's crystal-blue, and _damn, _he wishes it was _him _being pinned down instead.

Annie moves to retaliate but the dinner bell rings then, signaling the end of training. Cheers of victory and sighs of disappointment quickly break out as Mikasa lets Annie go—"_Ha! I told you she'd win, Marco!"—_but both girls ignore it, stalking off in different directions.

Eren watches as Armin rushes up to Mikasa, his mouth moving a mile a minute as she's nodding, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder that makes Eren's chest flare with sudden jealously. He smiles at her and then he is running off in Annie's direction, offering his water to her when he catches up.

"You okay?" Eren asks when he's caught up to Mikasa himself, his eyes narrowing at the slight limp in her gait.

"I'm fine," she mumbles, not even sparing him a glance.

"You're lying to me," he deadpans, ignoring her protests and offers his back to her. "Get on."

"Eren, I'm okay, really—"

"Come on, Mikasa," he interrupts, his voice surprisingly calm, "Don't be stubborn."

He hears her sigh and smirks in triumph as she climbs on his back, her body molding into his as her arms wrap around his neck, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"You were amazing," he comments before adding with a sly smirk, "I wouldn't mind if you did those moves to me, you know, _tonight._"

"Eren!" she gasps, clamping a hand over his mouth, "Not so loud!"

He squeezes her thighs teasingly and she shivers, a quivering sigh escaping her lips.

"Fine," she relents, hiding a smile in the crook of his neck as he quickens his pace to the infirmary.

* * *

**A/N: **i was gonna put an actual fight scene in here, and i did write one, but it didn't really flow and i didn't like it, so it got cut. How does one write fight scenes?!

and i couldn't resist putting in that little aruani in there, forgive me if you don't like them but i love them so much ok


	9. a broken hallelujah

**disclaimer: **these poor babies aren't mine

**A/N: **oops my hand slipped ;) for day 3: heartbeat!

* * *

He doesn't know why he still comes.

It's hopeless, he knows, but he doesn't care. He comes to her every day, just as the sun is setting, sits in his now usual spot beside her bed and watches the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest—his only flicker of hope that she will get better.

He grabs her hand, runs his fingers over the calloused trenches of her palm and squeezes, hard—but she doesn't squeeze back, doesn't even respond, and all he can think is _why, why her?_

He's not sure how it happened, doesn't really care either—he's heard so many different accounts from too many different people, their voices and details blurring together into mismatched fragments of the truth.

And when they're finished, they all tell him the same thing, in the same bone-tired voice, over and over again—_she's not coming back, she won't wake up, please, Eren, for both your sakes just let her go—_and he never, ever listens because they don't know Mikasa like he does. They don't know the way her ebony eyes shine in the morning sunlight, they don't know the soft melody of her wind chime laughter, they don't know the fiery passion of her cherry-lipped mouth against his and _how could he ever let go of these treasures?_

He doesn't even look up when he hears the door to her room creak open, his ears already attuned to the soft footsteps of his best friend.

"Armin," he greets, quietly, his voice no more than a wisp of smoke.

"Eren," he hears him reply, the corners of his sea-green eyes catching the white of Armin's pants sinking into Mikasa's sheets. "How is she today?"

He doesn't know why, but Armin's question sends a burning trail of anger through his veins. "Don't give me that shit," he snaps, his grip on Mikasa's hand tightening, "You know nothing's changed."

A beat of silence follows. "I know," Armin whispers, his voice tree-hollow, "Just thought I'd ask."

Neither of them know what to say next, and out of instinct, they both turn to look at the sleeping girl between them, as if her voice would suddenly fill the deafening silence, but it doesn't—_of course it doesn't._

"Eren."

This time, Eren turns to look at him. "What?"

"I think—" he stops, hesitating, but pushes out the words anyway, "I think it's time to let her go."

Green eyes instantly narrow, his deep voice deadly calm as he asks, "What did you just say?"

"It's been _three months_, Eren. She's just wasting away here!"

"Don't you dare," Eren warns.

Armin continues anyway. "Everyone's given up, hell, even the _doctors _think she's a lost cause! Why are we keeping her here? For our own selfish attachments as her friends? That's not fair to her, that's not fair and _you know it— "_

"Don't you fucking _dare _give up on her," Eren seethes, "You call yourself her friend, yet you pull this shit on her? You wanna talk unfair? That's the most unfair shit I've ever heard in my life."

"Eren, please—"

"Leave," he interrupts, his voice definite, leaving no room for argument. He hears Armin sigh, hears him soft-step across the room and out the door—and then he is gone, leaving Eren to the cold silence once again.

He puts his ear against her chest when the quiet becomes too much to bear, closing his eyes and savoring the steady _thump-thump _of Mikasa's heart beat—his only reminder that she is alive, but it only leaves his insides hollow and his heart empty.

He is broken, his soul crushed into stardust that she scatters with every unconscious exhale and he is left wandering, lost without her ever-present guidance; he can feel his hope slipping through his fingers, more and more with each passing day she remains in her dark slumber and he's forced to watch, helplessly. But he holds on, grasping for any kind of light he can find in this dark world without his sun, because for fuck's sake he can't do this, won't do this without _her—_

"Please wake up," he pleads as the first tear falls from his evergreen eyes, "Come back, Mikasa."

She doesn't.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm not satan I swear


	10. no mercy, no mercy

**disclaimer: **i own nothing

**A/N: **for eremika week day 4: cruel world.

* * *

Her scarf is all they can find.

"I'm sorry, Eren," Hanji murmurs, holding out the red material to him.

There are no tears, then. He only stares at the familiar scarf held out to him, his mind numb and his eyes dry. He can feel the cracks of his soul _she _mended together fall apart once again, and then he breaks; he shatters into millions of ragged shards that gnaw at his skin, but he still does not cry.

Instead, it's Jean who breaks down first, crumbling into himself, and Sasha quickly follows , her fists pounding the ground again and again as she weeps, screaming _why, why, WHY—_

Hanji takes his hand and places the old fabric in his calloused palm, curling his fingers tight around it. He looks down at it, running his fingers over the worn threads, and then he sees _it—_a discoloration, a deeper, richer red than the rest that interrupts the smooth maroon in scattered splotches, damp to the touch. Eren feels bile rise in his throat because he knows what it is, he knows _exactly what it is_ and he so desperately wishes he's on a shifting-high, hallucinating his worst nightmares coming true—but he's _not,_ _of course he's not._

And it is only in the cloak of night, in the privacy of his own room that he allows himself to come undone at the seams. It isn't silent tears; it's bone-rattling, heart-clawing sobs that wrack his entire body until the moon sinks into the earth and the sun rises again, and when it's over his throat is painfully raw and his eyes left hollow.

He wraps the scarf around his neck then and finds it still smells like her, and he thinks of her determined eyes and gentle voice and feels himself break a little bit more, again.

It brings him no warmth, no comfort; only emptiness, and he wishes now more than ever that he could see her smile one more time, could wrap his arms around the tuck of her waist and delve into her Shiganshina warmth she always had but he _can't, _he can't because she's gone, _she's fucking gone._

"_This world is merciless," _he remembers her say, and he wishes she wasn't always right.

* * *

**A/N: **what are you guys talking about, i told you i'm not satan /cough

so sorry for another day of sads, but i promise something lighter tommorow! ;u;


	11. wanderlust

**disclaimer: **i sadly don't own these precious babies

**A/N: **for day 5: beautiful world! no sads this time, I promise :)

* * *

"It's beautiful…" Eren breathes as they reach the shoreline, his eyes roaming over the endless crystal-blue in wonder.

Mikasa shivers as the water runs over her feet, eyeing the millions of pearl-white shells dipped into the hot sand. "It is," she says, her voice no more than a whisper, but her smile is bright; brighter than it's ever been.

"We did it, guys," Armin joins in, tears flowing down his flushed cheeks, "We're finally free."

And then he is tackled by Sasha and Connie, who pull him away, yelling, "Let's go join Jean and Historia at the jetty!" and he concedes, looking back at his two childhood friends with a knowing smile.

Eren doesn't seem to notice; he is too entranced, too overwhelmed, but when Mikasa puts her hand on his arm, he is pulled back and when he looks down at her, his breath catches in his throat—it's as if he is looking at her for the first time, and he realizes in that moment that she is the most beautiful creature he's ever seen.

"Are you happy, Eren?" she asks him, her voice soft and her smile wide, but he sees the worry in her dark eyes—she is worrying over him, even now. He wants to roll his eyes but he doesn't, he doesn't want to ruin this moment for her because of all people, she deserves this happiness the most.

He reaches up and takes her hand in his, intertwining their fingers. "Why wouldn't I be?" he begins with a smile of his own, "This is the world we were always meant to see."

She looks away, but Eren doesn't miss the flush on her cheeks and the relaxing of her shoulders. "I'm glad."

"Hey," he moves to stand in front of her, tilting her chin up, "What about you?"

She looks around them then—to the never-ending cerulean of the sea, to their friends pushing Jean off the rocks and into the water, to her and Eren's intertwined hands—and she laughs as she answers, "I don't think I've ever been happier."

He grins and, ignoring Mikasa's surprised yelp, hoists her up against him, his hands under her thighs and her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Eren," she breathes, grabbing his shoulders to steady herself, "What are you—"

And then his lips are on hers, soft and insistent, and Mikasa feels her breath leave her in a rush at the gentle push of his lips. She sighs into his mouth, closing her eyes as she weaves her hands into his dark hair. She feels him smile against her lips and it sets every one of her nerves on fire, and she can't help but do the same.

And when he breaks away and whispers her name, his half-lidded emerald gaze boring into hers with so much passion, so much _love_—she knows that this is real, this is love and it feels so _right._

And as his lip slide back over hers, her ears catching the waves crash against the shore and her skin reveling in the afternoon sun , she thinks that this time, she'll appreciate the beauty of the world she had only seen in him.

* * *

**A/N: **so this series has hit 100 reviews and i just want to say a huge **thank you **to all of my faithful reviewers, to all you wonderful people who favorite this, to all you lovelies that follow this, and of course, to everyone who even reads this. Thank you so much for all your kind words of encouragement, i love you guys MUAH kisses to all ოოოო


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